By Aurangzeb Kamal:- In recent times, the persecution of journalists in Bangladesh has reached alarming levels. There are growing allegations that mobs are being incited to harass journalists. In many cases, political leaders, certain businessmen, and a section of corrupt officials within the administration are targeting journalists without cause, according to those who have suffered. Every day, fearless journalists are facing lawsuits, assaults, and even killings—yet justice remains elusive, and there is no effective system in place to ensure their safety.

After last year’s mass uprising on the 24th, there was a noticeable rise in independent journalism. However, the practice of implicating journalists in false cases, harassing them, and arresting them has not decreased. Many claim these tactics are simply a “photocopy” of the previous government’s methods. Reports from various organizations and media outlets indicate that journalists are facing multiple forms of persecution—including physical attacks, lawsuits, threats, harassment, and killings. In particular, during the previous regime, it became common to weaponize photographs taken with political figures to incite mob harassment and other forms of abuse. Such incidents are now a near-daily occurrence.

Investigative journalists are among the worst affected, as their reporting on powerful criminals, corrupt officials, and influential wrongdoers invites retaliation. They face threats, obstacles, and violence. Data from various organizations shows that in just the first seven months of this year (January to July), there were 274 incidents of attacks in which 126 journalists were injured. Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) reported that from August 2024 to July this year, 496 journalists faced harassment.

Other NGO reports confirm that 95 journalists were injured in 165 incidents in the same seven-month period, and around nine were killed. This rising tide of violence is deeply concerning, as it disrupts the working environment of journalists and obstructs the truth from reaching the public.

Due to a culture of impunity, perpetrators act without fear of consequence, further fueling such crimes. Journalists face obstruction at every step when trying to report the truth, with many receiving death threats from criminals. In some cases, violence spikes when journalists expose corruption within the police or other government institutions.

Police and family sources reveal several shocking examples:

* On October 10 last year, Tanzeel Jahan Tamim, a broadcast officer for Deepto TV, was beaten to death in his home.
* On October 12, in Mymensingh Sadar Upazila, the Vice-President of Tarakanda Press Club, Swapan Kumar Bhadra, was hacked to death outside his house.
* On August 27, journalist Rahnuma Sarah’s body was recovered from Hatirjheel by police and locals.

Journalists have also received threats from political leaders, municipal mayors, brickfield owners, anonymous callers, union and upazila chairmen, university and college students, and ward councillors. The list of threats is endless. Many have endured abduction, bomb attacks, and beatings, sometimes at the hands of law enforcement officers themselves.

I believe journalism—and the media at large—now faces a grave reality. Journalists are tasked with exposing the truth, serving the public interest, and speaking out against injustice. But when truth-tellers are silenced with bloodshed, the very moral foundation of the state collapses. Today, it’s not only journalists—ordinary citizens too are unsafe.

Protesting against corruption can get you killed. Refusing to pay extortion can get you disappeared. Posting an opinion online can land you in court. Being photographed with leaders of a previous government is now grounds for harassment. This has become the “new normal.”

Journalists, by the nature of their work, attend events of all political parties and are photographed with many leaders and activists. This is natural. Yet some politicians, activists, and even self-serving journalists now exploit such photos to falsely brand fellow journalists as members of a political party, inciting mobs to harass them. The administration, without proper verification, takes legal action and makes arrests—further deepening the crisis.

The legal framework, administrative response, and social role of the state are all now under question. Whose responsibility is it to ensure the safety of journalists and citizens? It is unquestionably the government’s. Then why is such a situation allowed to persist? This government was formed through the consensus of the people—so what is it afraid of? This is not just negligence; it is a culture of impunity.

The killing of journalist Asaduzzaman Tuhin in Gazipur is the latest grim chapter in this history of violence. Just hours after going live on Facebook to expose extortionists, he was brutally beheaded before his report could even be printed. This was not just a murder—it was a warning, a calculated message meant to scare journalists into silence. The method of the killing leaves no doubt that the perpetrators were organized and confident enough to carry out an execution in response to public protest.

Although a few suspects have been arrested, most members of the syndicate remain untouched. Alarmingly, in many cases, such killers are never caught—or, if arrested, the masterminds remain beyond the reach of justice. The infamous Sagar-Runi murder case is one such example that everyone remembers.

The reality is this: speaking out against criminals now risks not only harassment but one’s life. Such incidents don’t just kill an individual—they silence an entire community’s voice of protest.

This climate of fear extends beyond journalism. Extortion-related murders of businessmen, political killings, and muggings have become routine. Law and order has deteriorated to the point where people fear going to the police, filing a case, or even raising their voice. In just the first six months of 2025, nearly 2,700 ordinary citizens have been killed. Each number in that statistic represents a broken family and a stolen future.

The underlying causes are political criminalization, terrorism, administrative weakness, and impunity. This has forced citizens to fend for their own safety, eroding public trust in the state and corroding the very fabric of social trust and humanity.

Even in educational institutions, freedom of expression is shrinking. Students face expulsion, threats, and unjust treatment, disrupting the learning environment. Similar trends are visible in both government and private institutions—an alarming sign for democratic values.

Press freedom remains under constant pressure. Arrests through lawsuits, shutdowns of newspapers, threats to cut off advertising, and cyber-harassment are all taking place. This shows the government is still not adequately sensitive to media freedom, according to experts.

I call upon the government to:

* End extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.
* Ensure the safety of minorities and women.
* Protect press freedom and freedom of expression.
* Guarantee accountability for every human rights violation.

Multiple journalists, speaking anonymously, said they are constantly harassed. Many attended political events under previous governments and unknowingly took photos with various leaders. Those images are now used against them as grounds for arrest threats.

Another journalist said, “I was once involved with BNP politics, but even so, I’ve been harassed in many ways.” This situation exposes both the government’s lack of accountability and its crisis of political will.

Every time a journalist is murdered, the government issues condolences and announces an investigation committee. But these are “routine formalities” with almost no results. Reports are not submitted—or if they are, they are never published. If the accused are influential, they easily secure bail and return under the protection of power.

The root problem is a lack of political will. The ruling party fears that prosecuting influential criminals could upset political equations. Investigations begin with great fanfare but end in silence.

This pattern is breaking public trust—not just in journalists’ safety, but in the very idea that the state will protect its people. Today, speaking against extortion can get you killed; tomorrow, exposing corruption on the streets can end your life. Fear is spreading so deeply that people are becoming silent.

This silence eventually becomes normalized—something the previous government learned the hard way. Once people lose the courage to protest injustice, the nation faces its gravest danger. Fear and silence together create a culture of darkness where criminals become lawmakers, growing ever stronger while ordinary people become their subjects.

A fragmented media landscape and weak protests are also driving the rise in journalist persecution. Bangladesh’s media is now divided along political lines. When a journalist is killed, instead of uniting in protest, some outlets remain silent to protect political interests. This destroys solidarity and weakens resistance.

The greatest strength of a free press is unity—but today, unity among journalists is almost absent. Journalists often act as rivals, with media outlets openly opposing each other. This disunity emboldens attackers.

I believe journalists must be brought under a common code of conduct. There should be a Journalist Protection Act ensuring safety, fair wages, compensation, and mandatory state protection in cases of threats. Cases of journalist killings or abuse should be tried in special speedy tribunals with verdicts delivered within six months. Freedom of information must be guaranteed, and misuse of laws like the DSA must be stopped to allow journalists to work freely.

Above all, there must be political will. The ruling party must prove that—no matter who the perpetrator is—justice will be done. Journalists must build united movements, creating a single platform for professional safety and mounting strong protests in every case. Public opinion must be mobilized, and the streets must be filled, until the state is forced to take action against the persecution of journalists.

Author & Researcher:
Aurangzeb Kamal
President, Dhaka Press Club